KoreanTV: Fans Push for Change

There’s an aspect to a lot of KDrama productions which really doesn’t exist here. They are produced as they are airing and there is active fan/viewer feedback which can influence the show.

That’s been an odd part of the KDrama experience, for me. Watching how fervently the fans discuss the dramas and how they address their desires and complaints to the writers/producers and really do expect to be heard.

Sometimes, it’s really not for the better. The writers will monkey wrench a plot to accommodate the fan base and the story just feels like it fell apart.

Sometimes, though, its a beautiful thing.

A recent drama, that was predominantly a murder mystery, action story featuring a fun bromance, initiated a romance between a male character and a female character.

The actual age difference of the actors – he’s 37 and she’s 23 – plus the fact that, in the show, she looks about 14, while he looks very much his age, made fans very uncomfortable. After a kissing scene, every subsequent was filled with “drop that romance!” feedback.

In the end, they pretty much erased the fact that they had kissed, by not referring to it and not escalating the relationship. It was more like they were good friends.

There were great sighs of relief from fans who had said that they wouldn’t be able to recommend the drama or ever watch it again, if that relationship proceeded.

It was interesting to see it play out.

I have my critique of the rabid fan culture in Korea but, with societal attitudes changing, it can be a good thing that they have the power to push for reflection of those changes.